U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scaling back oil operations in Alabama

View full size(Press-Register/Mike Kittrell)Bridget Olson with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service holds an injured Laughing Gull caught on Gaillard Island Aug. 23, 2010, in Mobile Bay south of Mobile, Ala.

DAPHNE, Ala. -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is scaling back its oil spill operations in Alabama, according to a spokesman.

Starting today, the service is no longer responding to oiled bird calls related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, said Steve Gray, Alabama division supervisor of all resources in Alabama. "Thankfully we are not getting calls on the wildlife like we have in the past," said Gray. He said there is a group available to respond to oiled wildlife when calls come into the BP oiled wildlife hotline.

He said the wildlife recovery and sensitive lands divisions have been combined.

Gray said the focus is now on making sure refuges and beaches are protected. The Fish and Wildlife operations here will continue to be located here, he said.